Air-brake operating and reducing valve



No Model.)

R. SOLANO.

AIR BRAKE OPERATING AND REDUCING VALVE.

N Patented June 25, 1889.

zayz.

WITNESSES: lNVENTOH wjuw ATTORNEY N. PEYER54 PIwID-Llthogmphur,Wanhinglon, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RENALDO SOLANO, OF BROOKLYN, NEYV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF THREE-FOURTHS O TOJOHN IV. HOWVARD AND DAVID R. MORSE, OF SAME PLACE, AND

LUCIUS G. FISHER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AIR-BRAKE OPERATING AND REDUCING VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,854, dated June 25,1889.

Application filed February '7, 1889. Serial No. 299,028. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RENALDO SoLANo, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York,

have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Air-Brake Operatingand Reducing Valves, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to insure the m supply and maintenanceof a proper pressure of air in the train-pipe when the engineersoperating-valve is moved to a charging position, and to charge thetrain-pipe with a given moderate degree of pressure from a variable I 5higher degree of pressure in the main storagereservoir; and to this endthe invention consists in the employment of a reducing-valve inconnection with the operating-valve, and in certain novel features ofconstruction of such combination of parts.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters ofreference indicate like parts in the several views, Figure 1 is asectional elevation of the apparatus; Fig. 2, a plan view with theoperating-valve and its gland and screw-cap removed, and Fig. 3 a planview of the operating-valve detached.

The operating-valve and reducing-valve are contained in a common casingwhich is composed of separable parts A, B, and C, the parts A and Bbeing secured together by the flanges and bolts E F and the parts B andC secured by the nut G, composing the outlet-nozzle, (connecting withthe train-pipe,) which is 3 5 screwed to the end of the internalcylindrical extension B of the part B, that forms the inner wall orcylinder within the annular chamber II. I

J is the engineer's operating-valve, composed of a rotary disk, (shownseparately in Fig. 3,) and in which the port I extends directly throughthe disk, and the port K is formed in the under side or face of thedisk. The valve J is rotated by the hand-lever V, 5 having a suitablespring-stop i, that engages with notches 011 the edge of the disk N,whereby the various positions of the valve may be indicated andcontrolled. The hand-lever V connects to a disk j, which seats upward toform an air-tight joint within the cap 70, and which bears a transverserib m, that engages with the slot or in the operating-valve to move it.

L is the supply-port connecting with the space above the operating-valveJ, and when the port K is brought coincident with the opening a of thechamber M the inductioncurrent is passed through the chamber M, andthence through the port N to the cylinder B at a point of communicationbetween the pistons therein.

O is the train-pipe connection, and through the holes I) in the lowerend of the cylinder B this has constant connection with the annularchamber II.

P is the exhaust-passage extending upward from the chamber II to thevalve-seat, and there is an outlet-port Q, also extending from thevalve-seat in the relation to the port P, (shown in Fig. 2,) opening tothe atmosphere. The connection between the port P and its outlet Q isestablished when the port K is coincident with both. There is a reducedextension of the port K cut in the face of. the valve, which connects inadvance with the outlet Q as the valve is turned to permit thegraduating of the rate of outflow of air when desired.

' R is a double-piston reducing-valve automatically movable in thecylinder B. The lower piston has an up wardly-extendin g flange c, whichcovers or uncovers the holes or ports d in the sides of the cylinder Bacting as a valve to control the connection thereof between thesupply-portN and chamber II. The space above the upper piston ispermanently free from pressure, being connected with the atmosphere, asby a passage 6, and there is a spiral spring S above the reducing-valvewhich acts with given efficiency against the pressure in the train-pipe,so as to co-operate therewith in regulating the position of the valveand the consequent amount of opening given to the ports (1. The downwardstroke of the pistons is limited by the stop T, upon which they restwhen the train-pipe is exhausted.

U isan emergency-valve for discharging the air from the train-pipe toeffect instantaneous application of the brakes should the valve J fromany cause fail to operate with sufficient promptness. The valve U isreleased from its seat by turning the screwthreaded nut f by thehand-wheel g, the eduction-port being at p.

The present device is designed to be used in connection with anautomatic brake system in which the brakes are held released by thedirect application of air-pressure through the port I of the engineersoperating-valve and are applied by reaction of stored pressure when theoriginal or withholding pressure is exhausted through the port K of theoperating-valve.

In operation, the hand-lever V is normally at the position ofbrake-release, the stop 1' resting in the notch Z, the port I being incoincidence with the port a, and the space intermediate to thereducing-valve pistons sup- ,plied with the full pressure of air fromthe main reservoir. The air under full pressuresay one hundred andtwenty poundsissues from the ports D through the chamber H and ports 19into the space beneath the lower piston leading to the train-pipe untilthe pressure in the latter approaches the desired Working-point-saysixty-five poundsand the spring S, (having the proper resistance,) isthen overcome and the ports (1 are throttled by the upward movement ofthe pistons until the induction ceases, the induction beingantomatically renewed by any casual reduction of pressure in thetrain-pipe that may occur in the course of running. By the turning ofthe operating-valve in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, the port 66is closed and the ports P and Q are subsequently brought intocommunication, exhausting the air from the train-pipe through the ports17 directly and independently of the reducing-valve.

I claim as my invention 1. In an' air-brake, the combination, with asupply-pipe, a train-pipe, and an operatingvalve intercepting the same,of a double-piston pressure-reducing valve, ports communieating betweenthe operating-valve and trainpipe through the piston -valve cylinder atpoints intermediate to the pistons, whereby such communication iscontrolled by the reciprocative movement of the pistons, the oneexterior surface of the pistons receiving pressure from the train-pipeand the opposite exterior surface thereof being free from presssure, anda resisting-spring for opposing the movement of the pistons caused bythe trainpipe pressure, so as to normally maintain the opening of thesaid ports communicating between the operatin -valve and the train-pipe.

2. In an air-brake, the combination, with the charging and exhaust portsof an operating-valve, of a reducing-valve-containing cylinder, theintermediate portion whereof communicates with the said charging-port,an annular chamber terminal to the said exhaust port surrounding aportion of the cylinder and permanently communicating through portsadjacent the end of the same with the trainpipe to which said endconnects, double pis pipe, of a pressure-reducing valve, arrangedbetween the engineers valve and the trainpipe, automatically controllingthe pressure of the fluid admitted by said operating-valve to thetrain-pipe, substantially as described.

RENALDO SOLANO.

W'itnessesr H. F. PARKER,

ALEX. IVIAHON.

